A major sign of an overworked tattoo is excessive fluid loss from the surface of the tattooed skin. This includes bleeding and loss of plasma and migration of ink to the skin's surface during the healing process, causing the tat to appear smudged, per Byrdie. Inflammation and raised lines in the tattoo are also signs of a tattoo blowout.
But these signs are not the same in everyone. For some, it can only be discoloration of the tattoo itself, or a complete shift of the shape of the tattoo as the colors bleed through the lines, per Healthline.
The best and least expensive way to deal with overworked tattoos is to avoid it altogether. That means going only to professionals. So before you get that next tattoo or maybe even your first, make sure to pay attention to the tattoo artist's experience, photos of past work, and reviews from previous customers.
If you already have a blowout, you can have it examined and reworked, per Saved Tattoo. Reworking involves having an expert tattoo artist go over the faded or blurry tattoo to either restore the original tattoo or make tweaks to the original design and create new art. Reworking a tattoo is both expensive and time consuming, since it is more complicated than simply getting a new tattoo. However, the results are usually worth it.
You can also go for laser correction, although it's more expensive than getting the tattoo reworked, per Sorry Mom Shop.
